Square Shoulder

The Gibson Dove Custom Acacia Amber Burst was introduced as a limited edition model, using AA grade Sitka Spruce for the top, Acacia for the back and sides, and Maple for the 3-piece neck. The fingerboard and bridge are Indian Rosewood. An L R Baggs VTS system is factory standard, and the hardware is gold plated.

Gibson launched the Sheryl Crow Southern Jumbo Model A as a 2013 model to celebrate these classic guitars. Ms Crow has long played the SJ, or its renamed descendant, the Country-Western model. While these officially launched for the 2013 model year, they started appearing in late May 2012. The documentation for this early production guitar specifies a final checkover date of June 18, 2012 at the Gibson Acoustic plant in beautiful Bozeman, Montana.

The Gibson Southern Jumbo is closely related to the classic J-45, and at times the differences have been mostly market driven and cosmetic. Apparently named to appeal to Gibson dealers in the American South – referring to the Mason-Dixon line, the Southern Jumbo or SJ uses slope-shoulder, spruce and mahogany body construction. The key differences are additional binding on the fingerboard and split-parallelogram position markers.

The Gibson Country Western Model made its debut in 1956 as a miracle of rebranding – it is the classic Gibson SJ-N, Southern Jumbo Natural, with a new label! Until 1964, this model – like other Gibson dreadnoughts – was a round shoulder design. At that point, it’s likely that market pressures like the popularity of the Martin style changed the shape to square shoulders.

Here we have a vintage Gibson SJ from 1972 at the historic plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It features a Spruce top with Mahogany for the back, sides and neck, with Rosewood for the fingerboard and bridge. The SJ is a somewhat more ornamented model, so the fingerboard is bound and has split-parallellogram position markers. It also features a standard adjustable saddle, in Rosewood; some earlier models used a ceramic saddle. The finish is the original sunburst executed in nitrocellulose lacquer. The scale length is longer than many other Gibson models at 25.5 inches. This brightens the tone slightly and brings the feel closer to Gibson’s main competitor, Martin.

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Mike, I just wanted to let you know that the Thunderbird arrived safely just now. It got stuck in customs in Chicago for a couple of days (the post office told me that it always happens that way with everything that comes from abroad) but eventually got on its way again. Anyway, it is here now and is beautiful and plays like a dream. It sounds great through my amp, and not surprisingly, sounds just like my 1976 Thunderbird. I was delighted at how light it is too.

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Thank You All So Much For Re-uniting Me With My Old Buddy D35.

Dear Twelfth Fret. To the folks in sales and repair, especially Dave H. in service who did a great job, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the care and concern that you have shown for my old Martin D35. You honoured my request for the fret dressing and thank you for the neck straightening, strings etc. And my gratitude to Grant for supporting this decision.

Thank you all so much for re-uniting me with my old buddy D35 which has been with me for my entire recording career since 1973. You have made it possible to continue with this tradition.

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Hello Grant. Just want to let you know that my banjolele arrived on Monday afternoon, so the postal strike didn’t hold it up too long. I’m delighted with the quality craftsmanship of the instrument and I was right that the shorter fingerboard is much easier for my 81 year old hands! So, here’s a shot of me with it in my studio with my dog Dusty laying beside me. Now just to harden up my fingertips and loosen up my finger joints! (Dusty loves it too!)
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